Non-Practicing

I'm sorry that I don't have too much to report on this week. I ended up pretty sick and we had to cancel many appointments. It was really hard on my companion to be sitting home, while I just laid around.

But it was still a fun week. I learned A LOT about the Alsacian people this week. It was very interesting. It would have been a lot nicer to know it all the first few weeks here instead of the last. But what can you do?

We had a nice little miracle. An ami that has been meeting missionaries on and off for 6 years, and I have been teaching her for 4 months, came to church! This is the 2nd time she has come. And she did a family home evening with some members, it's kind of awesome. You can slowly see her changing, and she says that if she keeps coming to church it will become a habit and become easier and easier. Its really great because she has been unwilling to keep any of the commitments that missionaries give her, but we gave her a nice accountability lesson, and she showed up at church! haha That was probably one of the highlights of my week.

We spent a lot of time with the old non-praticing's this week too, who are just not able to come to church because they are so sick. They are so grateful to see the missionaries, and so touched by our spiritual messages. They have incredible testimonies of faith after all that they have been through. And they are in some amazing trails but stay true to the faith, and are just unable to attend church. It may not be baptisms, but some of my best moments on the mission has been with these old people, they are incredibly strong, and deserve to be supported just as much as the person on the street.

One of them, Sr. Casy, I know i've talked about her, but I believe she is just so amazing. We were sharing a talk from conference, it's one that mom loves, the beautiful morning talk, given by a 70. We talked about how we have some super hard challenges but have to be positive. And for the first time I heard her say something not very positive. She said that she didn't understand why she was in a wheelchair and not able to move (she is in a wheelchair in a VERY high apartment building with stairs, and is unable to leave it, she's on the 6th floor, so once a week someone comes and does her grocery shopping). She said that you read about all these miracles in the bible, why don't they still happen? That she would love to be able to walk. But that she will die in that apartment, alone. I might have gotten a little teary eyed, and had no idea what to say. What do you tell to that person? I have no idea how she feels. But lucky we had our little conference talk in our hands and could read to her:

"Trials may come, and we may not understand everything that happens to us or around us. But if we humbly, quietly trust in the Lord, He will give us strength and guidance in every challenge we face. Even in a darkening world, we as Latter-day Saints may sing with joy, knowing that the powers of heaven are with God’s Church and people. We may rejoice in the knowledge that a beautiful morning lies ahead—the dawn of the millennial day, when the Son of God shall rise in the East and reign again on the earth."

Then the words seemed to fall into place after that. We testified the best we could that God had saved her to come forth at this time because he knew that she was strong enough for these challenges. And said that she can't even image what he has waiting for her on the other side. It was one of my favorite lessons honestly. And I think that's true for a lot of people in the world. They don't know why Heavenly Father gave them challenges, and sometimes we never find out. But if we are trusting in the Lord he is going to calm us, and if we endure to the end, how great shall be our reward. (as a missionary this is something we tell ourselves often, although instead of a grand house, the reward is seeing your family :).) I love these people here, they will be really hard to leave.

So there is a story from Sarah's week, enjoy. :)

I hope everyone has a good week!! Love you all!!! Miss you like crazy.

Sr. Jackson.